Vehicle-body.



, 1912. 1 055,714 Patented Mar. 11, mm

BIRGHABD L. CRAIG, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

VEHICLE-B ODY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

Application filed February 2, 1912. Serial No. 674,865.

T 0 all whom it may cmwcrn Be it known that I, BIRCHARD L. CRAIG, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for applying and connecting the bent panels to the framework and the corners of vehicle bodies.

The object of my invention is to provide for the contraction and expansion of the frame-work and of the bent panels relative to each other.

Hy invention consists in interposing an elastic cushion between the bent corners of the panels and the ends of the sills at the corners of the vehicle body.

My invention also consists in the details of construction and arrangement, and in the combination of parts as herein set fort-h and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which serves to illustrate the construction, application and use of my invention: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle body showing my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the elastic cushion; Fig. 3 is a top view of one corner of the vehicle body showing my invention embodied therein and showing by dotted lines the contraction and expansion of the sills and panel; Fig. l is a vertical section on the line 1- 1 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an isometric view showing one corner of the vehicle body, the panel being partly broken away to more clearly show the application of the elastic cushion; and Fig. 6 is an isometric view showing the ends of the sills as joined together.

Constructed as illustrated, 10 represents the vehicle body comprising side sills 11, having curved or rounded ends 12, and connected in any suitable manner by cross bars or end sills 13, having similarly formed ends 14:, the ends of the sills being preferably fastened together by screws 15 and glue or by other means, the grain of the wood of the sills, running lengthwise thereof to obtain the necessary strength. Bent panels 16 having the grain necessarily running lengthwise thereof are secured at the bottom thereof to the outer edge of the side and end sills 11 and 18 respectively and to the seat posts 17.

The curved ends of the sills 11 and 13 are cut away substantially as shown, to form a space 18 between said ends and the curved corners of the panels for the insertion of my elastic cushion 19. Contraction and expansion of wood takes place (by reason of atmospheric changes, such as variations in heat or moisture) crosswise and not lengthwise of the grain, When the panels are securely fastened to the side of said sills, the contraction and expansion thereof must be taken up at the corners to prevent loosening the panels from the sills or checking the panels. By Virtue of the end and side sills being shouldered against one another as shown in Fig. 6, the expansion of the end sills is entirely out-ward or lengthwise of the vehicle body. The expansion of the side sills and panel is also outward or crosswise of the body. Consequently as the panels are securely fastened to the sills on both sides of the corners when the sills expand outwardly the curved corners of the panels are drawn inwardly and the elastic cushions 19 are correspondingly compressed or contracted as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, thus making ampleprovision for such inward tensional action of the panels and preserving the relative position of the panels and sills. hen the sills contract the action of the parts would be reversed and the cushion is accordingly expanded with the outward movement of the bent corners of the panels, thus still preserving the relative position of the parts.

It is desirable that a close fitting of the parts at the corner be had in the vehicle body in order to prevent moisture, etc, from penetrating between the sills and panel, which would loosen the glue of the sills and rot or deteriorate the timber; also to pro vide an unbroken surface for painting.

Providing the space 18 between the corners of the sills, forming the framework, and the bent curved corners of the panel, and inserting an elastic cushion l9 consisting of felt, rubber, cork or other elastic material, permits the natural expansion and contraction of the parts relative to each other at the corners without disturbing the fixed relationship between the respective parts. Thus the panels may be glued to the side sills, and to the end sills, throughout their length, except at the points where the elastic cushions are interposed, and these cushions may be glued to the panels and to the framework respectively, so that there is a continuous glued joint extending throughout the length of the panel, and which, by reason of the elasticity of the cushion pro viding for the expansion and contraction, prevents cracking or separating of the joints, or checking of the panels by being unduly forced out of normal position, on account of contraction or expansion of the framework. This provision for the taking up of the contraction and expansion at the corners permits the ends of the panels to be securely joined in the simple and efficient manner illustrated, the ends of the adjacent panels being beveled and glued together as shown at 20 and connected on their inner surfaces by a connecting post 21 overlapping the adj acent ends of the panels and secured thereto by glue and screws. A groove 22 is formed upon the outer surface at the junction of the panels to conceal any slight break or fracture at the jointdue to rough usage of the vehicle body.

My invention is capable of some modification without departure from its spirit or scope, as for instance, metal panels may be substituted in place of wood, and I do not, therefore, wish to be confined to the particular shape, construction or arrangement of the parts as illustrated, but

suitably connected at the corners, panels extending around said sills and suitably connected thereto, elastic cushions between said sills and said panels at the corners, said panels having a beveled joint at the ends, a connecting post overlapping said joint and secured to each abutting end of said panels substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

3. In a vehicle body, side and end sills suitably connected at the corners, panels extending around said sills and suitably connected thereto, an elastic cushion between said sills and said panels at the corners, said panels having a beveled joint at the ends, a connecting post overlapping said joint and secured to each abutting end of said panels and said panels having a groove formed on the outer surface at the joint, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

BIRCHARD L. CRAIG.

WVitnesses JAMES N. RAMSEY, JOSEPH V OHARA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

